Emergency legislation on police bail

This news article was published under
the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Nick Herbert has said the government will urgently bring forward emergency legislation to overturn a high court ruling on police bail.

The judgment means the time suspects spend on bail could count towards any maximum period of pre-charge detention.

The police have said the ruling will have a serious impact on their ability to investigate crime.

Support for the police

Nick Herbert confirmed that the government fully supports the police appealing the decision to the Supreme Court, saying: ‘We cannot, must not and will not ask the police to do their work with one hand tied behind their backs.’

Speaking to the House of Commons he added: ‘Emergency legislation will clarify the position and provide assurance that the police can continue to operate on the basis on which they have been operating for many years.’